Q. As you have in the first two women's leadership conferences, you will once again be moderating an impressive array of women leaders.

A. We have a videotaped greeting by first lady Laura Bush and a videotaped greeting by Oprah Winfrey. Karen Hughes, former U.S. under-secretary who managed the White House Office of Communications. Our luncheon speaker will be Rear Adm. Sally Brice-O'Hara, our new commander of the Coast Guard here in Hawai'i. Izumi Kobayashi, president of Merrill Lynch Japan. We're all looking forward to hearing from this extraordinary woman from Iraq, Zainab Al-Suwaij, during this historic time. There will be two women from the Philippines, Gov. Grace Padaca of Isabela province, and Dr. Amelou Benitez Reyes, president of the Philippine Women's University. Motivational speaker Renée Amoore really rocks and rolls the conference. She really lights up the place. Last year she played Chaka Khan and came down the center aisle. Dr. Johnetta Cole, the first African-American woman to serve as president of Spelman College and the first woman ever to be elected to the Board of Coca-Cola, will be in a videotaped message. Our own Constance Lau (president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc.) can only inspire our local girls. (The conference also will feature Paige Hemmis, from ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.")

Q. This year the conference has been condensed to one day.

A. Because it's one day, there are more women attending. Previous years we've had close to 300 people. This year we're hoping to hit 500, if not go over. A lot of women who may have considered going in the past perhaps think that they can take at least one day off from work. When you walk away you think, "Why didn't I come the last two years?" It reconfirms that women are spread very thin and we don't want to take the time out, but it's so fulfilling and so invigorating.

Q. You've mentioned several women in your life who have had profound effects on you.

A. Women, by nature, are sacrificing. When we come together in a big group, we're inspired and we rally for each other and we cheer for each other and we're motivated by each other. After the last two conferences, we've come away with that understanding and the need for us to take a break and spend some time together and listen to our girlfriends and our peers.

Q. Girls regularly attend the conferences and even help out. How important is it for them to be exposed to successful women leaders?

A. It's a different world for our young women. The whole world is at their fingertips. To have these women leaders present just confirms that. Our world in Hawai'i is so small. I'm a perfect example. Working for an airline for 25 years I never had a passport until four years ago. Now I've been blessed to travel and meet some of these women. But we're not that far from the '50s and '60s when men had the predominant roles of leadership. So it's still important to let girls know they have every reason to hold those positions.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.